Migrant crisis: Two men smuggling Albanian migrants into UK in a car boot sent to prison
Flavian Suka and Stephen Orgar were both jailed
PA/Home Office
Two men involved in smuggling Albanian migrants into the UK in a car boot have been sentenced to a total of 11 years in prison.
It follows a two year investigation by the Home Office’s Criminal and Financial Investigation unit.
Flavian Suka, aged 27, an Albanian national living in London and Stephen Orgar, aged 45, a British national, from Basildon in Essex, were both sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court for facilitating illegal entry into the UK.
Orgar was jailed for three years and six months while Suka was sentenced to seven years and six months for immigration and drug offences.
They were sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court
PA
In September 2019, Stephen Orgar, who was driving a hired car from France to the UK, was stopped at the Channel Tunnel in Coquelles, France.
During the search by Border Force officers, two Albanian male migrants were found in the boot of his hire car.
Both men were refused entry to the UK and Orgar was arrested.
The subsequent investigation found that Orgar was helped by a ‘facilitator’ who was later identified as Flavian Suka, who was living near to where the car was hired.
Immigration officers carried out a search warrant at Suka’s address where they found a large quantity of class A drugs – including cocaine – estimated to have a street value of around £88,000. More than £20,000 in cash was also found in the property.
Orgar was found guilty following a trial for facilitating illegal entry into the UK and Suka pleaded guilty to the same charge.
Suka also pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply class A drugs.
Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick, said: “This brazen attempt to cram illegal migrants into an incredibly tight space and smuggle them over our border is unacceptable, and we will not stand for it.
"These sentences show that we are bringing to justice these gangs, who put profit before lives by smuggling vulnerable people into the country so dangerously.
“They also demonstrate that we will take a zero-tolerance approach to anyone caught dealing drugs in our society.”
Ben Thomas, Deputy Director for Immigration Enforcement’s Criminal and Financial Investigations, said: “I hope today’s sentences send a message that we are committed to tackling this issue, and those who put profit above people’s lives will not go unpunished.
“My team work tirelessly to bring to justice anyone attempting to smuggle people unlawfully into the country and will continue to do so.”